Dropper bottle cap



Feb- 12,1957 H; w. WILLIAMS 2,781,063

QRoPPgR vBQTTLF lCAP A. Filed Au-g. 17, 1955 'A INVENToR Harold WY/'llium BY KMK@ ATTORNY DROPPER VBGTTLE Harold W. Williams, `Iavvling, N. Y.

Application August 17,1955, Serial=No. 529,045

7 Claims. .(Cl. 141-.-24)

My invention relates to a combined bottle closure and liquid dropper which may be called a dropper bottle cap.

lt provides a new and improved construction having advantages from the standpoint .of compactness and neatness in appearance. lt is also comparatively easy to use and it will not deteriorate .through Yage or repeated use.

A further object is to provide-such an improved device consisting rin the .0f only two light Weight parts which may be easily molded from a material that is highly desirable for this purpose, namely polyethylene, which parts by reason of their unique construction, may be quickly snapped together into secure and airtight engagement after they have been molded to their iinal shape.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings l have shown for purposes of illustration one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing the invention connected to a bottle.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the dropper bottle cap.

Fig. 3 is a view showing in vertical section the various parts before being assembled.

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the molded body piece looking at the under side.

The invention is shown in connection with a bottle 6 containing liquid 7 and which has a threaded neck 8. The body piece of the cap which is molded preferably of polyethylene may be described as having a transverse wall 9 adapted to seat and form a seal directly against the top of the bottle; a depending skirt portion 10 having interior threads 11; and an upwardly projecting rim 12 which is provided with an interiorly facing groove 13 located a substantial distance away from the transverse Wall 9. It will be noted that the lip 14 of the rim above the groove 13 is relatively thin and has its inner surface 14 rounded.

The rim 12 surrounds an air space 15 which communicates through the central aperture 16 in the transverse wall 9 with a pipette or applicator 17, that may be of glass or polyethylene and which of course extends down- Wardly into the liquid in the bottle. Extending downwardly from the wall 9 around the aperture 16 are preferably two downwardly projecting sleeves adapted to receive and hold in air tight relat-ion, the end of the pipette 17. In the case illustrated the pipette is held between the inner sleeve 18 and outer sleeve 19. This arrangement has the advantage that it will also accommodate a smaller size pipette which will iit tightly inside the inner sleeve 18.

Forming a top closure for the cap over the air space is the exible diaphragm member which is preferably molded from polyethylene of a contrasting color. it consists of a comparatively thin upwardly domed central portion 20 and a depending skirt portion 21 which carries nited States Patent F. ice

an outwardly projecting rib or 'ange 22. The skirt is dimensioned to fiit Vtightly against the inner surface of the rim 12 and of course the ange 22 is complementary to `the groove 13 to secure' the parts together with an airtight seal. The rounded inner edge 14 at the approach to the rim aids in snapping the diaphragm into place.

A novel feature of the invention is the axially extending annular rib 23, which not only reinforces the transverse wall opposite the -point where it makes sealing engagementvwith the bottle but also locks behind or inside the edge of the skirt portion 21 of the diaphragm member. This tends to retain the tight engagement between the skirt portion of the diaphragm and the rim of. the body member and ensure a dependable seal between those parts even upon severe -exing or continued usage. The outercorner of the axial rib is beveled or rounded as indicated at 24 to facilitate assembly of the parts. The upward extent Voi" the rib 23 (to almost the middle of groove 713) is such that during assembly the bottom edge of the diaphragm skirt 21 will be engaged behind the rib 23 when the flange 22 contactsthe rounded lip 14. Then the diaphragm -may be 'readily snapped into place preferably one side first (by tilting the diaphragm) and then the other. During this action there will be some inward flexing of the diaphragm skirt and also of the axial rib 23.

The threaded skirt portion 10 of the body member is comparatively thin and is provided with preferably two axially extending slots 25. This not only conserves material but the body piece may be removed much more quickly from the mold. To reinforce the entire cap both the skirt portion and rim may be enclosed in a tightly iitting metal shell 26, or if desired the threaded portion only may be surrounded by a simple metal band.

As a result of my invention it will be apparent there has been provided an improved dropper bottle cap which is compact and neat in appearance, easy to use, durable, and economical to manufacture from the most desirable materials, since it is made up in the main, of two very light molded pieces assembled by a quick snapping operation.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A dropper bottle cap comprising a cap shaped member of plastic material provided with interior screw threads for engagement with the neck of a bottle, an upwardly extending rim surrounding an air space at the top of the cap, an applicator tube attached directly to and extending downwardly from the cap and arranged in communication with said space, a diaphragm member oi resilient plastic material providing a top closure for said air space and having a depending skirt portion adapted to tit inside said rim, said skirt portion and said rim having interengaging rib and groove means to ensure an air tight connection, said skirt portion being inwardly exible to permit the diaphragm member to be snapped into position in the cap after the parts have been cornpleted to their tinal shape.

2. A dropper bottle cap comprising a body member of molded plastic material having an interior transverse wall adapted to seat directly against the neck of a bottle, a depending skirt having means for engaging around the bottle neck, said transverse wall having a central aperture and means integral with said wall surrounding said aperture for retaining a pipette in airtight communication with said aperture, an upwardy projecting annular rim which has an interiorly facing groove extending entirely around the rim and located a substantial distance above said transverse wall; and a diaphragm member of resilient plastic material closing the top of said cap with an air space between the diaphragm and avancee said transverse wall, said diaphragm member having a depending skirt portion fitting tightly against the interior surface of said rim, and having an outwardly projecting circular rib complementary to said groove and tting therein to provide an airtight seal between the diaphragm member and rim. Y

3. A dropper bottle cap comprising abody member of resilient plastic material having an interior transverse wall adapted to seat directly against the neck of a bottle, said transverse wall having a central aperture and a sleevelike projection surrounding said aperture to hold a pipette or applicator tube in communication with said aperture, an upwardly projecting cylindrical rim which has an interiorly facing groove extending entirely/,around the rim and located above the ylevelof said transverse wall; an upwardly domed diaphragm member of resilient plastic material closing the top of said cap with an air space between the diaphragm and said transverse wall, said diaphragm member having a depending cylindrical skirt portion tting Vtightly against the interior surface of said rim and having an outwardly projecting rib around the midportion of said skirt which is complementary to said groove and tits therein to provide an airtight seal between the diaphragm and rim, retaining means projecting upwardly from said transverse Wall adapted to engage the inside edge of the diaphragm skirt portion, and means depending from the body member for removably securing the same to the neck of a bottle.

4. A dropper bottle cap as deined in claim 3 wherein said retaining means is an annular rib spaced from said rim a distance equal approximately to the thickness of the diaphragm skirt portion and projecting upwardly to the vicinity of the groove in said rim.

5. A dropper bottle cap as defined in claim 3 wherein the inwardly projecting lip of the rim above said groove has it inner surface rounded to facilitate assembly of the diaphragm member with the body member.

6. A dropper bottle cap as defined in claim 4 wherein the outer corner of said rib is rounded or beveled to facilitate snapping of the diaphragm member into the body member.

7. A dropper bottle'cap as dened in claim 4. where in the parts are so dimensioned that when the flange on the diaphragm member engages the rim in the process of assembly the bottom edge of the diaphragm skirt will be engaged around said rib. Y

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,988,661 Miner 52111.22, 1935 2,427,932 Spender et al. Sept. 23, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 798,497 France May is, 1936 

